Facing their Partners
by Loads of Randomness
Summary: #2 of 'When Boys Play' series. They've faced Hetty, what happens when Deeks and Eric have to face Kensi and Nell?
1. The Banter

"I never want to see another gun again," Eric said fervently as they existed the armoury four and half hours later.

"Not even in your video games?" teased Deeks, stretching out his arms. Something popped. "Oohhhh, that was _good_."

Callen was twisting his back, convinced that if they had spent any longer in there, he would become Quasimodo.

"I don't think I can feel my fingers," he complained, stretching out the offending digits.

"All I can smell is metal polish," huffed Sam.

"And leather," added Eric.

"Do you think the stains will come out of our fingers?" asked Deeks, inspecting his own carefully. "I don't think I suit this shade of brown."

They all rolled their eyes at him, a personal record, and made their way back into the glorious light of the main office. Only for it to be blocked by two shadows.

"Hello boys," greeted Nell with a Hetty-poker face.

"Punishment over?" questioned Kensi, left foot tapping. A sure sign of her annoyance.

"For now," Deeks said hesitantly.

The two women looked at each other and smirked.

"Good," they said in unison, eyeing them all up.

"Well, this looks like a partner problem," declared Sam, slapping Eric on the back-almost making him fall over.

Callen started to carefully edge around them. "We'll leave you to it," he stated.

"Oh yes you will," said Kensi with her eyes narrowed at Deeks, who gulped.

Eric wasn't faring much better, cowering under Nell's gaze. She _had _been taking lessons from Hetty.

The woman spun on their heels and strode up the stairs to Ops without another word. Their respective partners looked warily at each other. Was that an indication to follow them?

"_Eric."_

"_Deeks."_

The two immediately scrambled after them. Yes it was.

Sam and Callen watched as their partners in crime were basically led away by their respective others. They exchanged smirks.

Callen kicked back in his chair and folded his arms behind his head, "I'm suddenly very glad that we are partners, partner."

Sam raised an eyebrow at him, "Only suddenly?"

His partner shrugged a jerked his head towards the recalcitrant backs of the younger men.

"We don't have women to answer to," he explained smugly.

"Well, not here," admitted Sam.

"See? That's what you get."

"For what? Marrying the woman of my dreams?" demanded Sam.

"For tying yourself down," Callen teased, not being serious about it.

He did adore Michelle after all. She ganged up on Sam with him without any fear of reprisal, unlike Deeks. That, and she cooked an _amazing _roast.

"You can't possibly think that she'd approve of what we did today," Callen added smugly.

"Well, no," Sam admitted. "But what she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"I though you didn't keep secrets."

"About the important things," Sam stressed.

"Are you saying that us insulting and aggravating LAPD officers to the point were they seriously looked like they wanted to 'mistakenly' shoot us isn't something Michelle would want to know?"

"Definitely not."

Callen leaned forwards onto his desk, a smirk curling around his face, "How do you know if Hetty has already informed her or not?"

Sam's eyes widened comically. Rather cartoon-like actually.

"She wouldn't do that?" Sam asked in a whisper, looking over his shoulders at the woman at her desk. "Would she?"

"Maybe if she thinks you need to be grounded," Callen said tauntingly, almost snorting at the thought of Sam's um, large body trying to get comfortable on his living room sofa.

"What about you?" asked Sam, folding his arms.

"What _about _me?" Callen responded lazily.

"Won't Ana disapprove?"

Callen snorted in amusement and rolled his eyes.

"She'll be disappointed that she didn't get a chance to join in. She still hasn't quite forgiven them for giving Arkady her coordinates…"

"What happened to the 'never dating a woman with her own gun' rule?"

Callen shrugged. "It wasn't written in stone. And it was handcuffs, by the way."

Sam rolled his eyes.

"How about you date a normal woman for a change," Sam suggested.

"And what do you mean by 'normal'?" demanded Callen, slightly belligerently. "You mean one that nags?"

"Are you saying Michelle nags me?"

Callen put up his hands placatingly, "Not at all. She's just very…protective. And scary."

Which she was. Callen never meant to imply that Michelle nagged. She was far too cool for that.

"Also, your wife is _not _normal."

"She is!" Sam insisted, slightly insulted.

"Oh yes, your sort-of-ex-CIA come housewife come protective mother bear that's capable of using a gun effectively is _totally _normal."

"More normal than most of the females I know," Sam said quietly so Hetty, Kensi or Nell couldn't hear them.

His partner snorted loudly, making Hetty look up curiously.

"I can find you more weapons to clean, boys," she called over warningly.

"We're good, Hetty," Callen said hastily.

Sam nodded vigorously, pointedly stretching out his back as if he was stiff Hetty gave them one last piercing stare before returning to her own reports. The two partners breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm just saying that a free and easy relationship is the way to go," Callen said, picking up heir conversation again after a few minutes.

"Oh yeah, 'cause I'm the loser here. With an amazing woman who adores me and two spectacular children?" Sam retorted in the same tone, smirking.

"I'm just saying that I'm as free as a bird."

"You mean as restless as a puppy."

"At least I'm potty-trained."

"Who's potty-trained?" asked Deeks, swinging himself down the stairs from Ops.

He didn't look to worse for wear. Kensi had an air of smug satisfaction around her. Callen really hoped they hadn't done anything appropriate up there.

"Definitely not you," muttered Sam, hiding a smile behind a case report.

"I'll have you know that I am perfectly trained," Deeks informed them.

"By me," retorted Kensi.

Deeks got a goofy smile on his face, "Yep."

Oh yeah, they definitely did something inappropriate up there. Fantastic. He'd have to buy more anti-bacterial wipes.

Ignoring the possibility that his co-workers had probably been at least partially naked a few minutes ago, Callen looked up at Ops.

"Eric not been released yet?"

Kensi and Deeks shrugged.

"Should we pity him?" asked Sam, semi-seriously.

"Depends," Callen said thoughtfully, wincing at the places his mind went.

He unconsciously flicked his eyes to Kensi and Deeks. Sam caught the look and frowned at him, not needing any of _those _images in his head.

"On whether or not he's getting the same kind of talk as I did," Deeks said with a particularly dopey grin.

The two older agents groaned. Callen put his hands over his ears and started humming loudly. Sam rolled his eyes at his partner but still looked disgusted.

"What happened to 'out of the office'?" Sam demanded.


	2. The Music

The two ladies strode quickly up the stairs, their 'boys' scurrying quickly behind him. Eric opened his mouth but Deeks shot him a warning look. They did not know what mood these two were in, no need to stir the pot. That and there was still a gun on Kensi's hip.

They had reached the end of the corridor, just outside of Ops, before the girls spun to face them. Deeks winced. It wasn't just Nell who had been taking lessons from Hetty. Were people _meant _to be able to raise their eyebrows that high?

Deeks and Eric shuffled nervously. They had been doing that a lot the past hour. Deeks could almost feel Callen and Sam's amused looks from here. Lucky bastards. _Their _ladybirds didn't know about this stunt. Uh oh, Nell's foot was tapping.

"Well boys?" demanded Kensi

Both men shook their heads.

"Really? Nothing?"

"You already heard all that happened when we explained ourselves to Hetty," Deeks pointed out.

"We don't want t know what happened," said Nell.

"We want to know what was going through your heads," Kensi finished.

Oh, they were tag-teaming now. Not good. Eric was getting increasingly wide eyed. Also, not good. Neither of them decided to answer. Technically, they weren't asked a question.

Kensi exchanged a look with Nell. That was not a good look.

"Looks like they're not talking, Jones," announced Kensi.

"Looks like it, Blye," retorted Nell.

Oh, they were going old school, were they?

"Maybe they'll talk if we split 'em up," said Kensi, circling them.

"That just may work," mock-pondered Nell, reaching out to grab Eric

Deeks exchanged a grimace with Eric as their respective ladies split. He kind of felt sorry for Beale, Nell was looking kind of feisty and _not _in a good way. She didn't let go of him until she had yanked him into Ops. Well, at least there were witnesses in there. She couldn't do anything too damaging in there. Anyway, he was more concerned for himself.

He gulped deeply as he looked into her darkened eyes. _Really _not good.

"Well?" she asked.

When did she get that close to him? He backed up, his back hitting the wall. He could feel her breath on his face.

"Umm…"

"Want to tell me what was going on in your head earlier?"

"Hmm…," was all he could get out.

Oh, that was a tantalising glimpse of skin. When had her top button become undone? Her head cocked to one side.

"I think I may need some, ah, persuasion," he managed, trying so _very _hard not look away from her face.

A smirk curved across it.

"Oh yeah?"

He nodded rapidly.

"Uh huh," he looked from her even darker eyes to that _lovely _piece of tanned skin. "Make that _a lot _of persuasion."

Her hands trailed up his arms as she stepped closer to him, completely encompassing his range of vision.

"And that all it takes?" she asked slyly. "Me thinks somebody needs to go back to interrogation class."

"Maybe you could be my teacher," he said breathily, placing his hands on her slender hips.

She jumped gracefully backwards, _just _out of his reached. He pouted and tried to grab her.

"Ah, ah, ah," she scolded teasingly.

"Come _on_, Kens," he pleaded.

"Not until you explain yourself," she informed him.

"Darn it," Deeks thought, he hadn't managed to distract her.

He must be off his game. Normally the hip thing worked. Getting told off and punished by Hetty Lange tended to do that to a guy.

"I'd much rather discuss what's going through my head right now," he said persuasively.

And, there went the hands on the hips. He sighed heavily. There was definitely going to be no funny business now.

"Do you really want t get _back _into Hetty's bad book so soon?" Kensi asked him.

Deeks shrugged. "You only live once."

Kensi snorted and rolled her eyes.

"You're not going to explain yourself, are you?" she asked.

He scrunched up his nose. "Probably not. Mainly because there wasn't a lot of thinking going on."

"What a surprise."

"I tried to be the voice of reason," he complained.

Kensi gave him a disbelieving look. "Really?"

"Yes!"

"Uh _huh_. For how long?"

"At _least _three sentences."

"Hm, a record."

"Exactly! Wait, "Deeks narrowed his eyes at her smirking face. "Was that sarcasm, Princess?"

"What was your first clue?"

Deeks pouted. "Just for that, I'm not telling you anything."

"Oh really?"

Dammit, she was giving him that look. He could never resist that look, and she knew it.

"Would some of that _persuasion _of yours work?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe you should try some."

"Hm mm."

Oh, that was that sweet spot the back of his neck. She knew that drove him crazy. He groaned lowly, mustn't forget they were at work. His hands slipped over her hips and dipped further south. She arched herself into him. Their lips were _this _close to each other.

"Ahem," a throat cleared from behind them.

They sprung apart faster than a bullet from Kensi's rifle.

"Assistant Director Granger!" Kensi explained, straightening her shirt, when had that got rumpled?

"What are you doing here?" Deeks asked.

The man in question's eyebrows rose.

"I, apparently unlike you two, work here," he said dryly.

"Um, we were working, yeah," Deeks said, panicking.

Kensi nodded bedside him, trying far too hard not to look guilty.

Granger pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I feel like I'm going to regret this, but what exactly were you two working on?"

The partners exchanged panicked glances.

"A cover!" Kensi blurted out.

"A cover?" Granger repeated

"Yeah, a cover!" Deeks said, backing her up.

Granger gave them a look. There were an awful lot of looks being thrown about today. This look was definitely not a good one.

"Does anyone want to _explain _your cover?"

"A couple!"

"Who is together."

"And who, um, have this awful backstory."

"With drugs and separation…"

"Due to prison, you see?"

"And they only reunited."

They gave him identical nervous grin. He didn't look convinced.

"We're still working out the kinks," Kensi explained anxiously.

"Eric and Nell are working on it," Deeks added, better passing Granger onto someone else.

Granger gave them a long look.

"I really don't want to know," he finally announced.

Their shoulder slumped in relief.

"Just get back to work," he instructed.

Still eyeing them suspiciously, Granger backed into Ops. They smiled innocently at him until the door clicked shut on him.

"How come _he _doesn't have to face them?" Deeks asked, eyeing the face-sensitive doors suspiciously.

Kensi shrugged her shoulders. "It's Granger."

"True. Did we just get away with that?"

"Barely," Kensi said with a snort.

They grinned at each other.

"Let's leave while we're still in one piece?" Deeks suggested.

Kensi grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the stairs.

"Oh yeah."


	3. The Scolding

The Ops doors almost didn't open fast enough for Nell to stride through. Eric very briefly considered simply _not _following her but a quick flash of those gorgeous hazel eyes made the decision not a decision.

'Snick' went the door behind him. Nel still wasn't looking at him. He stood self consciously at the doors, what did she want him to do?

Nell plopped herself on her chair and looked at him expectantly. He practically teleported to his seat.

Still no talking. Her fingers started to fly over her keyboard in a familiar pattern. Was she, was she just getting back to work? Eric risked a glance at her screen. That _was _work. He frowned at his own screen.

Was that it? No telling off or demands for what he was thinking of? Was he getting off scot-free? Eric smiled to himself, hands raised over his own keyboard. He was just about to dive into cracking some network codes when another thought struck him. His hands stilled and he looked over to his partner.

This was a Hetty technique. Or, one of them anyway. Nell was throwing him off guard and staying silent _because _she wanted him to spill his guts himself with _apparently _no input from her. Suspects (or miscreants) _always _spilled more information this way. Every. Single. Time. He was quite pleased with himself for figuring that out.

So, where did that leave him now? He should probably just stay quiet. That way she got nothing. But did he want her to get nothing? He really had a fun time today with the guys, it was so cool. Watching them get in the zone and work their stuff. The LAPD officers could certainly turn some interesting colours. Probably wasn't healthy, they should get their blood pressure checked out. Sheesh, they got wound up way too quickly.

There was absolutely no need for them to shout so much at them. You would think that detectives would have better control over their tempers. Wasn't that like a requirement for becoming one? To be fair, the whole thing with the tyre was a _little _bit too much on their part, well, Sam's part. But they didn't have to be so _mean_.

"A tyre. Really, Beale?"

Eric jumped in his seats and faced Nell with wide eyes. Could she read minds now too?

"_Eric_."

"It wasn't me," he said instantly.

Her right eyebrow rose high.

"It was Sam!" he whined, resisting the urge to kick his feet.

"And that makes it better?" she hissed disbelievingly

Eric muttered something unintelligibly.

Nell cupped her hand around her ear mockingly.

"What was that?"

He mumbled louder, "ItskindofathingSamdoes."

"It's a thing Sam does," Nell repeated incredulously. "What?"

"It's true!"

"Are you saying that Sam throws tyres around on a daily basis?"

"_No_," Eric said exasperatedly making Nell give him a sharp look. He wilted slightly under it but pressed on, "I meant Sam tends to ahem, throw his muscles around a bit."

"Hence the tyre," Nell said slowly.

"Hence the tyre," Eric said, crossing his legs ad leaning back in his chair in satisfaction.

Nell pulled him upright again with a "Yelp!"

He pouted, rubbing his am where she had grabbed it in her pincer grasp.

"That doesn't account for you."

"Me?" Eric asked nervously.

"You."

"I, I didn't do anything."

"Oh really?" she said, jumping off her chair and putting her hands on her hips. "So, the police report just says that three federal agents were antagonising LAPD Officers, does it?"

"Technically, yes. I'm not a federal agent," Eric pointed out yet again.

Ok, maybe that wasn't the best of things to say. The red of her hair really complimented the rising redness on her face.

"That. Is. Not. What. I. Meant." She said through gritted teeth.

He pushed his chair away from her slightly, the wheels sounding awfully loud in the silence of Ops. Wasn't anyone working here?

"I knew that," he said, thinking hit was best to placate her as quickly as he could with minimal injuries.

Nell _had _been training a lot with Kensi recently.

"_Why_ did you think it was a good idea?"

"It was fun! And everyone else was doing it," Eric told her with a pout.

"Peer pressure. Really?"

"It's not really peer pressure when you sort of came up with part of the plan in the first place…" he admitted.

"WHAT?"

Eric winced. How could such a loud sound come from such a tiny person?

"Eric Beale what on earth did you _do_?"

"I may have hacked into the LAPD servers and discovered where those two were patrolling," he said quickly.

Taking a deep, calming breath Nell resisted the urge to throttle him. They needed him, they needed him. She was not allowed to make him disappear into the subnet.

"I can't believe you actually did that!" she scolded. "Especially since our relationship with LAPD is _tenuous _at best. Honestly, what were you thinking?

"Well, hacked is a _strong _word," he rambled. "Have you seen their security? It's actually kind of worrying. You'd think that they'd at least apply the update. With all these ransomwere scares in the news people would at least do that..."

Nell shut him up by putting a hand over his mouth. Worked every time.

"Are you going to do it again?" she asked with a glare. She felt his mouth open under her palm, "Just nod or shake your head."

He did this weird head bobbing thing.

"Probably?" she confirmed.

He nodded rapidly at that.

"_Eric_."

He just shrugged.

"I meant _outside _our cases. Think about your answer _carefully_," a threat quite obviously hanging in the air.

A very jerky head shake followed. Her hand slipped off his face so she patted him on the head.

"Good Beale," she said patronisingly.

He was sulking again. Nell rolled her eyes.

"Oh, go and lick your wounds with the guys."

Eric left his chair so fast he almost left smoke behind. Nell just smirked and went to go back to work.

"Erp!" came from the general direction of Eric followed by a thudding noise.

More specifically, the sound of two bodies falling to the floor.

Nell looked up and saw a tangle of Eric's bare limbs and suit trousers. Suit trousers? Who wore suit trousers at this office. Nell's heart stopped. Granger? She took a closer look. Granger. She darted over to them, dragging Eric off their Assistant Director. Eric offered a shaking hand to him, knees knocking and babbling apologies, only to retract it hurriedly at the glare he received. Granger picked himself up and dusted his pants looking far more displeased and flushed than usual.

Granger gave the two of them a long look before shaking his head.

"I really don't want to know."


	4. The Confrontation

A slightly shell-shocked looking Eric finally appeared by their desks. It was not a good look on him.

"You look like you did not have as good a talk as I did," Deeks informed him with a satisfied smirk.

"Did you two actually talk?" questioned Callen, turning to face the two junior partners.

Sam shook his head and held his hands up, "Nuh uh. Nope. _No_. I thought we all decided that we weren't going to go there with those two?" he demanded then turned to look at Kensi. "I thought you had a rule!"

"Hey," she replied, holding her hands up in innocence. "I didn't say anything."

"Not that we have to," Deeks said with a smirk.

Sam groaned and buried his face in his hands.

"I thought your job was to knock him down a peg or two after our stunt?" he pleaded.

"Because it was _all _his idea wasn't it?" Kensi asked dangerously.

The other three men gulped.

"You know?" Callen asked hesitantly.

"Oh, I _know_," she retorted with a glare.

"See! Kensalina has my back!" Deeks crowed.

Kensi spun to glare at him too. He took a step back.

"_You _didn't have to go along with it."

"Yeah, but I was overruled."

"Whipped," Callen coughed.

"Trying to stay alive," Deeks said out of the corner of his mouth.

"Oh really?" Kensi asked.

"He said he didn't want to be the beaten-up assailant for the fiftieth time," Eric added unhelpfully.

"Tenth. It was tenth," Deeks stressed, glaring at the Technical Operator. "What have we said about exaggerating, Beale?"

"Oh, so you didn't want to help us then?"

"No, no, babe. It wasn't like that. I thought we were just gonna have a little bro time, see? With no illegal activities. Just lunch and chill. And Nell could do with a few more techniques sessions," Deeks defended himself quickly.

There was no change in his partner's expression. Uh oh.

"Hey, weren't you mad at them? Let's be made at them," he announced, spinning Kensi around so her glare was facing anyone else but him. "It was their idea, remember?"

"Yes, I know,"

The glare was turned up a notch, it was veering into promising painful bodily harm territory. Everyone resisted the urge to take a step back, barely.

"About that…"

"No sprained or broken limbs, Miss Blye," Hetty called over.

"…Fine."

"Or open wounds. Or concussion inducing."

She stomped her foot in frustration.

"What _can _I do then?" she demanded.

"You're a creative woman. I'm sure you'll come up with something appropriate."

"Oh, I will," Kensi promised with a pointed look.

There were three very audible gulps at that. Deeks was back to grinning like a maniac. Oh, he did like it when that wasn't directed at him. Would it be too much to rub his hands?

"Does anyone want to explain what exactly _caused_ this sequence of events?" she asked. "Because I don't remember 'annoying LAPD' being in your plans."

"Aggravation."

"_What?_"

"It was aggravation and insulting," Callen repeated his partner with a smirk. "Not annoyance."

"Same thing," Kensi said dismissively.

"Not necessarily," Deeks said thoughtfully. "Technically, aggravation and insults are the same thing."

"And both are annoying," Kensi said in a tone of finality.

"_I _call it making a nuisance of yourselves," Hetty interjected from her desk.

"That works too," Callen admitted only somewhat sheepishly.

"Well?" Kensi demanded again.

"It was a part of our training," Callen said simply.

"What training?"

"Tactical evasion," Eric said brightly, proud that he remembered that.

Everyone turned to give him a look.

"Or not," Eric said with a sheepish grin.

"Tactical evasion," Kensi repeated. "Really?"

The guys seemed to shrug as one.

"It _was _working," Sam pointed out.

"For how long exactly?" Kensi asked pointedly. "Two, three minutes?"

"Seven," Sam said irritably.

"Hm mm."

"More like six," Callen admitted.

"And you ended up in cop cars," Kensi finished. "Not exactly what I call successful."

"It was all a part of the plan," Deeks defended.

"You were out of this," Kensi said, waving her hands at her reprobate co-workers. "Do you want back in it?"

"No ma'am," Deeks said only somewhat seriously, giving her a tiny salute.

Kensi shot him a 'seriously?' look.

"I can make you a part of this again," she threatened.

"I'm done talking," Deeks said and quickly sat down at his desk, picking up a file to peer over it.

Shaking her head at the ridiculousness of her partner, Kensi turned to glare at the men she felt were responsible, again.

"Now Kensi, none of us were hurt," Sam said placatingly, talking as if you would to a hurt puppy.

She snarled at him.

"Yet," he muttered and patted Callen on the shoulder. "You're up G."

"Kensi…" he began.

She folded her arms, fingers twitching. Oh no, she wanted her knives. Did she disarm herself before having a 'talk' with Deeks? No one could remember.

"Gentlemen, I advise you to head home for the evening," announced Hetty, suddenly appearing and putting a stop to whatever Kensi was planning on doing.

"Really?" Sam asked hopefully, would he actually be home in time for dinner without having to finish his reports or getting murdered by Kensi?

Hetty nodded with a smile and turned towards her desk. Everyone jumped up and grabbed their bags quickly, Eric darting up to Ops, before she could change her mind. Kensi took a reluctant step back and tried not to sulk.

"I believe Michelle wants a word with you, Mr Hanna," Hetty finished.

And, Kensi's smirk was back

"Ha ha," Callen mouthed at his partner.

"Miss Kolcheck also asked me to tell _you_, Mr Callen, that she is very displeased with your decisions," she finished, sitting at her desk with an air of satisfaction.

The man's face fell. Sam smirked in triumph.

"Maybe Nell and I should fill in any gaps they might have," Kensi suggested, phone in hand.

"That's low, Kens," chided Deeks.

"You wouldn't," Sam said daringly with narrowed eyes.

"Try me," she taunted twirling it in her hands.

Callen lunged as Sam tried to grab her wrist.


	5. The Home Front

Sam grabbed his work bag to stop it crashing into the shelves by his front door as he opened it. He smiled in satisfaction as he hung it up. It was still light out and, he took a deep breath, the food was still warm or even being cooked. It was _good _to be home at dinner time this week.

It had been a long week, normally he did manage to make it in time for dinner, or just after, most days but this week had been bad. Sam figured that's why they had gone crazy (OK, crazier) earlier when they had free time. It had been a sorely lacking commodity recently.

He rubbed his shoulder lightly, convinced that Kensi had bruised it when he and Callen tried to wrestle her phone from her. They never did get it off her (Hetty informed them if they broke a work phone, they were paying for it _and _all the software upgrades) but they did stop her from texting their significant others. Ok, technically Deeks had stopped that by grabbing it from her desk as the three of them squabbled and pocketing it.

Unfortunately, their LAPD liaison hadn't been quick enough to stop Kensi's quick fists. She had been trained far too well. Sam wasn't entirely sure how she had even touched his shoulder at all. G had gone for her wrists and managed to get them away from her body. She was too flexible, that's what the problem was.

Sam hissed as he rubbed the most tender part, that must have left a bruise. He rolled up his sleeve to inspect the area. He winced. Yep, definitely going to bruise.

"I didn't know that you had been injured," Michelle said lowly.

Sam just about stopped himself from jumping at the sound of his wife's voice. _When _had she appeared in the kitchen door, wasn't that closed?

His hand instantly dropped from his shoulder, sleeve still bunched up.

"I, uh, hadn't," Sam replied with a gulp.

Michelle's eyes narrowed. She hadn't moved from the doorway.

He took a deep sniff of the air and rubbed his stomach. "Did I miss food?" he asked in an overly bright tone, hoping to distract her.

_Of course,_ that didn't work, his wife was a sort-of-ex-CIA Agent. 'Distraction and evasion' was their freaking motto.

"Yes," she said, eyeing him with suspicion. "But I kept a plate warm for you."

"Minced steak?" Sam asked hopefully, slowly approaching her.

"With carrots," Michelle confirmed, looking up at him.

Dammit, even though she was a foot shorter than him and a heck of a lot slighter, he was _still _terrified. Please no interrogation, please no interrogation.

He gave her a brief kiss and smiled charmingly at her, she melted almost unperceptively. Aha, he still had it. He resisted the urge to smirk.

"Perfect," Sam proclaimed, not just directing it at the food.

Michelle blushed slightly. He took his chance and pressed open the door to get into the kitchen.

"Daddy!" came from a small, colourful blur.

With practised ease, Sam plucked his daughter from his feet and spun her around.

"Kammie!" he greeted, laughing at her giggles.

"You're home!"

"Yep," he nodded.

"Aidan! Daddy's home!" Kamran bellowed right next to his ears.

Sam winced, bombs going off had nothing on his girl's lungs. He heard the pounding of growing feet come down the stairs and skid across the hall.

"Dad!" Aidan shouted, diving for him.

His son was on a break from Keating's, they had him for eight whole days. Sam scooped Aidan into his arms as well, ignoring his son's protests that he was too big. The complaints didn't last long.

Michelle smiled fondly at the scene as she dished up his food and passed his plate over to him. She shot him a scolding look to stop him from using his penknife as a dinner knife and rummaged in the drawers for the appropriate cutlery.

The kitchen was filled with chatter as the Hanna children excitedly told their father all about their day. Michelle interjected with the odd comment here and there, mainly to stop her children from exaggerating.

"Daddy had an exciting day too," she informed them, stealing a carrot off Sam's plate. "Got into a bit of trouble, didn't you?" she added slyly.

Sam glared at her.

"Really, daddy?" Kamran asked with wide eyes.

Aidan gave his father a puzzled look.

"You're not bleeding or in the hospital so you're not injured. And you didn't let a bad guy get away cause you're not annoyed," Aidan reported, giving Sam another once over. "What did you do to annoy Miss Hetty?"

Sam choked on a potato and gave his wife an incredulous look. She raised her hands, pleading innocence.

"I've said nothing," she claimed, looking proudly at her son.

Sam looked at Aidan questioningly who just shrugged in that annoying almost-a-teenager way of his.

"If it's not a bad guy that gets you in trouble that just leave Hetty," he explained.

"It could be your Uncle Deeks," Sam pointed out with a slight pout (though he would deny it. SEALs didn't pout).

Aidan scrunched up is nose and shook his head, "Nah,"

"No," Sam automatically corrected only to received a glare from his son.

"No," repeated Aidan, thinking carefully. "Uncle Deeks wouldn't get you into trouble."

Sam just snorted at that. Both of his children looked at him expectantly.

"There's no problem, we got it all sorted," he said quickly, swiftly moving to the sink to wash up.

"But-" said Aidan.

"What did you-" interjected Kamran.

Smirking annoyingly at him, Michelle decided to have mercy on him and clapped her hands to get her children's attention.

"Ok, funs over. _Both _of you have homework to finish," she said pointedly.

"Aw!" came the identical complaints.

"Go!"

"But-"

"March!"

That was a tone both children recognised, so they marched. There were several stomps and the almost slam of a door hen the house was peaceful again.

"Thanks," Sam said, relief evident in his tone, slumping back into his chair

Michelle wrapped her arms around him from behind and pressed her cheek to his.

"No problem," she replied, kissing him briefly before pulling back slightly.

Not wanting to lose contact, Sam turned to try and pull her close. He didn't get that far.

"Ouch!" he yelped, rubbing his shoulder again.

"So, what was this about a tyre and LAPD?" Michelle demanded, hands firmly on her hips and eyebrows raised.

Sam winced.

"Would you believe me if I said it was all Deeks?" he tried.

His wife gave him a look, a dangerous look.

"That's not what Hetty told me."

He gulped loudly and tugged at his collar. How rusty were her interrogation skills again?


	6. The Complaint

Callen whistled happily as he strolled down the path to his house. He was feeling quite cheerful at how the day turned out. Sure, they had gotten into a spot of bother which had involved punishment from Hetty but they had completed it to her satisfaction (eventually) and he was home free. Early, even.

The only bad thing about today was that Anna was out of town. He was actually craving some human company this evening and he wanted to relegate her with his take on the day's happenings. Callen loved watching his kind-of girlfriend's face change with her emotions, she was just so intense. Like, her father funnily enough though he would never say that too her face. Unless he wanted to wind her up of course.

He unlocked his door and crossed the doorway. He had only taken three steps in before he froze. Someone was already in here. His gun was already in his hand, all senses alert.

"Who's there?" he demanded from the hall, not wanting to corner himself in somewhere.

Light footsteps padded from the kitchen. He turned quickly so his gun was facing the door.

"Hands up," Callen warned.

The door opened and Callen blinked twice before lowering his weapon. A long curtain of blonde hair swung around it followed by the far too amused face of his girlfriend.

"Callen, you're finally home," Anna Kolchek greeted.

"I picked up pizza and it was slow," he explained before shaking his head and saying in exasperation, "_Anna?_"

Her red lips curved into a smirk. "Yes? And I hope that's meat lovers."

"Of course," Callen replied, handing the box over to her.

She slid it into the oven, much to his confusion, but he asked a more pressing question first.

"What are you even doing here?"

"Oh, that's a nice way to greet me."

Callen shook his head, failing to hide a smirk.

"Sorry, but aren't you meant to be in D.C until Monday?"

Anna shrugged, "The remaining days got cancelled and there's nothing to keep me in DC."

"Ah."

He wasn't quite sure what to say to that.

A narrow, blonde eyebrow quirked upwards.

"Is that how you greet your girlfriend?" she demanded, teasingly.

Calle widened his eyes comically and placed a hand on his heart.

"I'm sorry, my dear," he said in a mocking tone, grabbing her hand and spinning her around. "Let me remedy the situation for you."

A brief giggle escaped her before his lips covered hers.

"I got an interesting call from Hetty earlier," Anna informed them as they both came up for air.

"Oh?" he asked, giving her the side eye.

Callen was pretty sure she wouldn't blow up at him for this, she was kind of awesome in that way, but there was something he couldn't quite place in her tone.

"About 'aggravation and vocal assault of LAPD Officers with a tyre' or something to that extent," she replied in a questioning tone, making inverted commas with her fingers.

"Something like that," he agreed, not wanting to admit to anything quite yet.

"Oh, really?" A manicure eyebrow cocked slightly.

"It sounds worse when she says it," Callen complained, pouting slightly. "More dramatic."

Anna chuckled and ran her hands over his short hair.

"Poor baby," she mock-sympathised.

"It was all Sam's fault," he continued, leaning into her slightly.

"From what I was told, it was your idea," Anna commented lightly.

Callen frowned at that. Surely Hetty didn't know that? He had told all of them in the car, hadn't even mentioned it to Sam beforehand and it was Sam who had suggested a guy's lunch. He was sure his car wasn't bugged, he had done a sweep of it this morning though he wouldn't put it past Hetty to have added her own. Again.

Or it meant Deeks hadn't managed to completely secure Kensi's phone. Dammit, she had been annoyed with them. Callen absentmindedly rubbed his chest where her sharp elbow had caught him. Remind him to never to pounce on her again, unless they were on a mat in the gym.

He used his most well used response and shrugged. Anna just gave him an amused look. Callen decided to give into temptation and leaned in for another kiss. She ducked her head down and looked at him expectantly.

"I would have loved to see their faces," she said wistfully.

Yes! He _knew _she'd approve of this. She _really _wasn't a fan of the LAPD. Callen thought it was a mix between their involvement in some of her father's dealings and her own run ins/stone walls with them as an ATF agent.

"They were fantastic," he assured her.

"Please tell me that they made fools of themselves."

"Took very little effort on our part," he confirmed with a grin. "Almost disappointing, to be honest."

"Didn't get a chance to play mind games," Anna stated knowingly.

"They blew a fuse at the first insult," Callen explained.

"That _is _poor," Anna said with a frown.

"To be fair, it was said by Deeks…"

Anna rolled her eyes at him, used to all his quips about his younger teammates.

"I'm sure Eric can find the footage, we were on a stretch of well-travelled road."

She smiled in satisfaction at that and made herself more comfortable against the doorframe. It looked like he wasn't getting his pizza tonight.

"I have one question," she stated, large blue eyes staring straight into his as she pressed against him.

Callen's hands slipped to her hips and his eyes briefly glanced down at the body parts right against him.

"Is it about how fast I can get you over there?" he asked, nodding his head in the direction of his mattress, not really interested in going over the day's events now that he had seen the bra she was wearing.

A low chuckle came from Anna's throat. It hit him in _all _the right places.

"Not this time," she replied, smirking at him.

She placed a finger over his mouth before warning him, "What happens over there is completely dependant on what your answer is."

"Which is?"

A pouted graced her lips.

"Why didn't you invite me?"

**AN: And that's it for this story! I hope you all enjoyed it and THANK YOU to all my reviewers, anonymous and signed. You've all been so kind and encouraging. If you want to see any "missing scenes" from this, please tell me and you may just see it in my little side story for this whole series "The Outtakes: When Boys Play".**


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